In Avowed, companions aren't just for conversation; they're vital for navigating the world and conquering its challenges. Their abilities range from path-clearing to devastating combat prowess. Let's rank every Avowed companion from least to most helpful.
4. Marius
My experience with Marius proved his playstyle wasn't a great fit for mine. While his early-game exploration skills are useful for finding items and plants, his combat capabilities quickly fall behind other companions. Here's a breakdown of his abilities and upgrades:
Blinding Roots: Roots enemies for 8 seconds. Upgrades include stunning, trapping multiple enemies, and inflicting Bleed Accumulation. Heart Seeker: A piercing shot that ignores obstacles. Upgrades include hitting two enemies, increased damage to low-health enemies, and cooldown reduction. Shadow Step: Marius vanishes and attacks an enemy. Upgrades include instant kills on stunned enemies, increased damage to low-health enemies, and striking up to six enemies. Wounding Shots: Marius' attacks inflict Bleed Accumulation. Upgrades include reducing enemy damage reduction, slowing enemies, and further reducing enemy damage.
Marius excels at crowd control and weakening enemies, particularly useful against melee foes and those with low health. However, his niche abilities limit his overall effectiveness throughout most of Avowed's Living Lands.
3. Giatta
Giatta, a support-focused Animancer, uses magic for healing, shielding, and buffing the party. While not a damage dealer, her utility is invaluable. Protecting the Envoy and party health is crucial during challenging encounters like boss fights. Her abilities include:
Purification: Heals allies. Upgrades include increased healing, enemy interruption, and increased ally damage reduction. Barrier: Grants allies temporary health. Upgrades include increased temporary health, healing on barrier expiration, and protection from melee attacks. Acceleration: Increases ally movement and attack speed. Upgrades include damage reduction, extended duration, and ability cooldown reduction. Reconstruction: Giatta's attacks heal allies. Upgrades include increased healing for low-health allies, temporary health for full-health allies, and reviving incapacitated allies upon enemy kills.
Giatta can also activate Essence Generators, unlocking late-game areas and loot. She synergizes well with magic-focused Envoy builds.
2. Kai
Kai, encountered early in the game, remains useful throughout. This tank deals substantial damage with minimal player input. His abilities are:
Fire and Ire: A high-stun attack with a taunt. Upgrades include igniting the target, increased stun, and cooldown reduction. Unbending Defense: Regenerates health and increases damage reduction. Upgrades include increased damage reduction, increased health regeneration, and a damaging shockwave on expiration. Leap of Daring: A stunning and taunting area-of-effect attack. Upgrades include increased area of effect, temporary health per hit, and bonus attack damage per hit. Second Wind: Revives Kai. Upgrades include increased health restoration, temporary attack speed boost, and ability cooldown reset.
Kai’s abilities are effective against various enemy types, with some focusing on single high-health targets and others on crowd control. His self-revival makes him a highly reliable and low-maintenance combat partner. He can also use fire to clear obstacles.
1. Yatzli
Yatzli, a powerful Wizard, offers high-damage attacks and excellent crowd control. Her abilities are:
Essence Explosion: Explosive arcane damage. Upgrades include increased blast radius, fire accumulation, and cooldown reduction. Minoletta’s Missile Battery: A volley of homing missiles. Upgrades include increased fire rate, range, and shock accumulation. Arduos Delay of Motion: Slows enemies. Upgrades include increased slow effect, area-of-effect slow, and frost accumulation. Blast: Area-of-effect damage from Yatzli's attacks. Upgrades include explosive damage for breaking blocks and shattering frozen enemies, increased stun, and status effect chances.
Yatzli's powerful abilities and obstacle-clearing capabilities make her a valuable companion throughout the entire journey, despite being recruited last.
Avowed releases on PC and Xbox on February 18.
